Big-hitting Sussex can hurt hosts Surrey

Surrey v Sussex
Sky Sports Cricket, 2.30pm Sunday

Surrey were ante-post favourites to win this summer's T20 Blast but four wins and five defeats have left them with a battle to reach the quarter-finals.

The top four in each section progress to the knockout stages and Surrey are two points behind opponents Sussex, who start the day in fourth place in the South Group.

Home advantage hasn't meant a great deal for Gareth Batty's side, who have lost to Glamorgan and Kent at The Oval, where they also claimed narrow wins over Somerset, Essex and Middlesex.

The winning margins in Surrey's four victories have been two runs, four runs, ten runs and 15 runs, suggesting that they are struggling to outclass opponents in Twenty20 games.

They were comprehensively beaten by Sussex in the reverse fixture as Tymal Mills's 3-20 set up a comfortable eight-wicket win for the Sharks at Hove.

Sussex hit six sixes to Surrey's one in that clash and the Sharks are worth backing to win that market once again.

Laurie Evans and David Wiese blasted them to a win over Gloucestershire last time out - Sussex won the maximums battle 6-3 - while Chris Nash, Luke Wright, Ross Taylor and Stiaan van Zyl are destructive top-order hitters.

Durham have nothing but pride to play for at the bottom of the North Group but they are worth a small bet as 7-4 outsiders at home to Birmingham Bears.

The Jets started the season with a four-point deduction and lost their first six Blast games but their form has picked up recently with three victories in their last five outings (two of which came at the Riverside, venue for the clash with the Bears).

They showed great character to seal a one-run win over high-flying Yorkshire and shouldn't be written off against an inconsistent Birmingham side.

Recommendations
Sussex to hit more sixes
2pts Evs general
Durham
1pt 7-4 Coral, Ladbrokes